China offers to conduct tests to identify 10 burnt to death

POLICE say the Chinese government has offered to conduct tests to determine the identification of 10 Chinese burnt to death on Manus in September. Crimes Directorate Assistant Commissioner Victor Isouve said they were awaiting the coroner’s clearance report. The Chinese were burnt to death in the early hours of Sept 22 after a supermarket razed to the ground in Lorengau. “The Chinese government has offered through the PNG mission to repatriate the burnt and unidentified body parts of these victims to Beijing, China to conduct disaster victim identification tests,” Isouve said. “We are now awaiting the coroner’s clearance report to transport the remains to Beijing. “The body parts are in the morgue at the Lorengau General Hospital. “We are still waiting for independent reports from PNG Power and PNG Fire Services. “Officers from these agencies have conducted their own investigations and we need their reports to help investigate this incident.” Isouve said two suspects had been questioned and released pending further investigations. He appealed to the people of Manus to assist police in the investigations.